President Bola Tinubu has rejected the recommendation of the National Economic Council (NEC) that the tax reform bills already sent to the National Assembly be withdrawn for further consultation.
In a statement by his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President commended the NEC for its advice but said the legislative process allows for inputs and necessary amendments without withdrawing the bills from the National Assembly.
President Tinubu urged the NEC to allow the legislative process to run its course.
The recommendation came after governors of the 19 northern states, who met in Kaduna on Monday, alongside prominent traditional rulers from the region, resolved, among others, to reject the Nigeria Tax Reform Bill.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the northern governors and monarchs decried the contents of the recent Tax Reform Bill, saying they were against the interests of the North and other sub-nationals, especially the proposed amendment to the distribution of the Value Added Tax (VAT).
But Tinubu in his latest statement welcomed further consultations and engagements with stakeholders to address any concerns while the National Assembly considers the bills for passage.
